“I could have retired,” Bernhard Langer said earlier in an interview after tearing his Achilles tendon while playing pickleball in Florida back in February. At 67, he’s well past the age when many of his peers start to fade from the PGA Tour Champions leaderboard. But Langer’s always had a way of defying age in golf, so it wasn’t surprising when he bounced back quickly. Still, a torn Achilles is no small injury. Not long ago, any pro golfer would have seen it as a career-ending blow. Yet, after a brief hiatus following surgery, Langer was already back on the course.

“I could have said ‘OK, well, this is it. I’m 66, let’s just pack it in. I have nothing to prove. I don’t need it financially. Let’s just enjoy the grandkids and stay at home,” Langer said. “But that’s not me. I’m a very competitive person and I still enjoy being out there. I knew I could perform if I’m somewhat healthy.”

And that’s exactly what he’s done. Bernhard Langer was on fire, finishing in the top eight in his last four tournaments. Right now, he’s sitting at No. 2 at the $3 million Phoenix Country Club event, proving that age is just a number.

In a media interaction at the tournament, Langer shared how it felt to return to the course after such a serious injury. “I’m a very positive person, so I always thought I would be able to come back,” he said. His surgeon and physical therapist had estimated he’d lose about half the season, but remarkably, Langer was able to return after just three months.

When asked how he’s doing now, Langer noted, “The nice thing, we can use carts out here. Because I wasn’t able to walk 18 holes, it helped me. When people ask me how I’m doing now, I’m nowhere near 100 percent, but I’m a functioning golfer.”

Langer had to withdraw from what was supposed to be his final appearance at the Masters earlier this year due to the Achilles rupture. But after three and a half months of recovery, he made a comeback on the course. When asked if he still planned to make the Masters his final appearance, Langer answered with certainty.

“It will be, no doubt about it,” he said. The last five or 10 years when I played there it’s just playing very long. It’s not much fun hitting 3-woods into par 4s, and 2-hybrids, and all that kind of stuff. The holes are made for 7-, 8-, 9-irons and I’m coming in with some metal and other things.” A long journey indeed, but the young-at-heart golfer has a clear vision when it comes to his future on the course.

Bernhard Langer’s pursuit to stay in the game

People often see golf as a game of patience and precision. For players like Langer, it’s defined by their resilience. At his age, the passion he still has for the game is nothing short of impressive. Maybe that’s what passion really is—being willing to do whatever it takes. And with Langer, that’s exactly the case.

When asked what keeps him motivated, he quickly replied, “Yeah, it’s never been an issue really. People asked me 20 years how long will you play? I always said as long as I’m healthy and I’m having fun and I’m playing well.”

He explained that when you’ve spent most of your life winning tournaments and staying in contention, it’s easy to keep going. However, Langer also acknowledged that if he ever reached a point where he felt he had no chance of competing, consistently finishing in the lower ranks, he might consider stepping back or playing less. For now, though, Langer is still taking it one year at a time, seeing how it all feels as he moves forward.